They identified the driver of the vehicle that crashed at the Pershing Avenue onramp to Interstate 5 around 9:45 p.m. as Eric Nolan, 30, of Elk Grove. Police reported that Nolan was the gunman who shot at pursuing officers who believed he was involved in a carjacking some three hours earlier at American and First streets.

Nolan, who received minor injuries in the crash, was arrested and faces a number of felony charges, including murder, attempted murder of a police officer, carjacking, kidnapping as part of a carjacking, as well as multiple narcotics and weapons charges.

Two other passengers in the suspect vehicle, a 19-year-old man and 22-year-old woman, were admitted to area hospitals for treatment of serious injuries. They were not identified.

The murder charge filed against Nolan is based on the vehicular homicide theory. “He was driving so fast and reckless. The theory involves death that results from the negligent operation of a vehicle,” Stockton police spokesman Officer Joe Silva said.

Despite the murder charge, Silva said the death of Aparicio won't be considered Stockton's 70th homicide of 2012 because it does not fit the FBI's uniform crime reporting definition for murder.